The NCAA Tournament starts tonight. First, the Wagner Seahawks take on the Howard Bison. Then, the Colorado State Rams will look to master the defense of the Virginia Cavaliers. What should we expect from players in each game?
Here are the three best March Madness PrizePicks plays for Tuesday, March 19.
2024 NCAA Tournament Picks Challenge: Win a Lifetime BettingPros Subscription! >>
The NCAA Tournament starts tonight. First, the Wagner Seahawks take on the Howard Bison. Then, the Colorado State Rams will look to master the defense of the Virginia Cavaliers. What should we expect from players in each game?
Here are the three best March Madness PrizePicks plays for Tuesday, March 19.
2024 NCAA Tournament Picks Challenge: Win a Lifetime BettingPros Subscription! >>
Bryce Harris More Than 0.5 Three-Pointers Made
Harris is the Bisons’ leading scorer, and he's shooting 39.1% from three-point range. However, to get to his usual 16.6 points per contest, Harris doesn't rely much on shots from beyond the arc. He hasn't made a three-pointer in his last five games, and he's attempted just six during that span.
Tonight, Harris faces a Seahawks' defense that ranks 11th in the NCAA, allowing opponents to make just 29.9% of their shots from beyond the arc. Yet, the Seahawks' defensive success has more to do with who they've played than how good they are. Despite his low production, Harris has attempted at least one three-pointer in all but three games this season. So the odds are that he will shoot at least one. Considering how slow the Seahawks will try to make the normally speedy Bison play, Harris may throw up some frustration shots as well. One of those is bound to fall.
Isaiah Stevens Less Than 14.5 Points
It's hard not to be concerned for the Rams’ offense when they go up against the Cavaliers' defense. The Cavaliers rank second in the nation in points allowed per game and are 12th in opponent shooting percentage.
With all of that in mind, the right move is to back Stevens to have a bad shooting night. The main issue with this prop is that it's already set two full points below Stevens' season average of 16.5. Though the Rams average 75.1 points per game, the Cavaliers have held better offenses to very few points this season. Expect a long night for Stevens, and don't be tempted by this low number.
Joel Scott More Than 5.5 Rebounds
The Rams have the 17th-highest shooting percentage in the nation, knocking down 48.2% of their shots. Even shooting that well, Scott has still managed to pull down an average of 6.0 rebounds per game. Tonight, the Rams aren't going to shoot anywhere near their season average, and Scott has a prime opportunity to blow his personal rebound average away.
The Cavaliers rank 233rd in shooting percentage this season and because of that, the Rams have a slight defensive advantage. This means plenty of missed shots for the Cavaliers. While Nique Clifford is the Rams' leading rebounder, his total is also two higher than Scott's current number. Additionally, for Clifford to hit his number, he would need to go over his season average. For Scott to hit the number, he just has to hit his season average, making him the no-brainer play tonight.
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Tuesday:
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.
